Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

[LtPowers]

http://www.uscho.com/2011/09/26/buffalo-bringing-back-hockey-adding-to-ccha/

A revamped CCHA with Niagara, BGSU, Robert Morris, Mercyhurst, Canisius, and Buffalo? Would the AHA invite UAH if they drop to 8 teams? Would the CCHA want RIT and UAH to go to eight? Is Buffalo really considering this? Could Jacobs pull a Pegula? (Is he, a current NHL owner, even allowed to?)

Any more questions this raises?


Powers &8^]

 

[CHFAN222]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

http://www.uscho.com/2011/09/26/buffalo-bringing-back-hockey-adding-to-ccha/

A revamped CCHA with Niagara, BGSU, Robert Morris, Mercyhurst, Canisius, and Buffalo? Would the AHA invite UAH if they drop to 8 teams? Would the CCHA want RIT and UAH to go to eight? Is Buffalo really considering this? Could Jacobs pull a Pegula? (Is he, a current NHL owner, even allowed to?)

Any more questions this raises?


Powers &8^]

It's his money. He is allowed to do whatever he wants with it. If you're saying he wouldn't be allowed to because it might compete with the Sabers and take away their market I really doubt that. They are an NHL level team and people in the area will still prefer it. What it will offer though is a nice alternative to people who may not wan to spend the money on an NHL game and will help grow interest in hockey.

However I will believe it when I see it. For all we know Univ of Buffalo could pull a Moorehead and hold a press conference to say they are still waiting to make a decision. Hey if this happens it'll be great but let's wait and see. Until a huge pledge donation is made and something is announced we have to assume this will not happen.

The only bright side is people on those forums usually have sources in Athletic Departments/follow the right people on twitter so that we will get word of this first on here before anywhere else.

One possibility I could see is that the Univ of Buffalo could get an initial donation now announce they will start it up and than not start the program until 2 years from now so they can raise more money to offset costs.

 

[pdt1081]

One possibility I could see is that the Univ of Buffalo could get an initial donation now announce they will start it up and than not start the program until 2 years from now so they can raise more money to offset costs.

Perhaps acknowledging they are thinking about D1 hockey is to gauge alumni/local interest. Putting it out there as kind of a fishing expedition to see if any big donors may be interested.

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

http://www.uscho.com/2011/09/26/buffalo-bringing-back-hockey-adding-to-ccha/

A revamped CCHA with Niagara, BGSU, Robert Morris, Mercyhurst, Canisius, and Buffalo? Would the AHA invite UAH if they drop to 8 teams? Would the CCHA want RIT and UAH to go to eight? Is Buffalo really considering this? Could Jacobs pull a Pegula? (Is he, a current NHL owner, even allowed to?)

Any more questions this raises?


Powers &8^]

I think it has already been written in another thread that RIT declined to attend the meetings between BGSU, UB, and the AHA-4. Sounds like the Tigers aren't interested.

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

It's his money. He is allowed to do whatever he wants with it. If you're saying he wouldn't be allowed to because it might compete with the Sabers and take away their market I really doubt that.

I think he's referring to the same concerns some raised about whether Pegula and the Sabres could be allowed to support the Canisius arena due to NHL rules. I don't know what the rules are, but I get the impression it has something to do with a potential conflict of interest created by an NHL team having some financial stake in a theoretically independent developmental level team such as NCAA or Major Junior. I could be wrong, though.

 

[Draighlicht]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

I think he's referring to the same concerns some raised about whether Pegula and the Sabres could be allowed to support the Canisius arena due to NHL rules. I don't know what the rules are, but I get the impression it has something to do with a potential conflict of interest created by an NHL team having some financial stake in a theoretically independent developmental level team such as NCAA or Major Junior. I could be wrong, though.

The owner of the Carolina Hurricane also owns Plymouth in the OHL so I don't think there is a problem there.

 

[GoNU5]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

http://www.uscho.com/2011/09/26/buffalo-bringing-back-hockey-adding-to-ccha/

A revamped CCHA with Niagara, BGSU, Robert Morris, Mercyhurst, Canisius, and Buffalo? Would the AHA invite UAH if they drop to 8 teams? Would the CCHA want RIT and UAH to go to eight? Is Buffalo really considering this? Could Jacobs pull a Pegula? (Is he, a current NHL owner, even allowed to?)

Any more questions this raises?


Powers &8^]

The original article by Bruce Siskie reported Air Force and RIT were also invited. RIT wasn't interested, and Air Force was interested but couldn't send a representative in time. So potentially the CCHA could have Air Force as a 7th member (and potentially 8th if Air Force wants Army in too).

 

[komey1]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

Perhaps acknowledging they are thinking about D1 hockey is to gauge alumni/local interest. Putting it out there as kind of a fishing expedition to see if any big donors may be interested.

I don't think you put this out there LOOKING for big donors.

 

[aallenpollreisz]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

Well, as somebody who champions the growth of college hockey, I would like to see this happen. I've always thought Buffalo had the potential to be a very solid college hockey market.

I think it has already been written in another thread that RIT declined to attend the meetings between BGSU, UB, and the AHA-4. Sounds like the Tigers aren't interested.

I'm a bit curious: Why would RIT not consider a jump to another conference? A "CCHA" with BGSU, RMU, Niagara, Canisius, Bob Morris and Mercy would probably be pretty winnable for you guys.

Couple that with the maximum number of scholarships, pretty solid reciting territory, and a new rink, and I think RIT could grow to a mini powerhouse within that hypothetical conference.

 

[kingdobbs]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

Couple that with the maximum number of scholarships, pretty solid reciting territory, and a new rink, and I think RIT could grow to a mini powerhouse within that hypothetical conference.

RIT's non-scholarship, and is already a mini powerhouse within the conference they're in. There's no compelling reason for them to bolt.

 

[5hole]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

...
I'm a bit curious: Why would RIT not consider a jump to another conference? A "CCHA" with BGSU, RMU, Niagara, Canisius, Bob Morris and Mercy would probably be pretty winnable for you guys.
...

My wild-a55 guess is that RIT is staying mum until 1) ND announces 2) if it is HEA, then until a 12th team is selected. If it is not RIT, then they could look elsewhere.

Note: You have Bobby Mo listed twice. So that is just five in the conference. RIT would make a nice #6. Army/AFA would work, so would Ferris state ... or UB.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

If they can get an arena, I think anythings possible with a donor that can handle scholarship endowments.

But until the arena is settled, there's no more to talk about.

 

[scoreboard]

My wild-a55 guess is that RIT is staying mum until 1) ND announces 2) if it is HEA, then until a 12th team is selected. If it is not RIT, then they could look elsewhere.

Note: You have Bobby Mo listed twice. So that is just five in the conference. RIT would make a nice #6. Army/AFA would work, so would Ferris state ... or UB.

I don't think RIT is under consideration for HE at this time.

 

[Wholin1]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

Speculation is that if ND goes to HE then RPI would be a possible addition as well, leaving an opening in the ECAC. RIT might be interested and a good fit for the ECAC under that scenario if interested.

 

[5hole]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

Yeah, I did not state that well ... multitasking (poorly). I did mean RIT wants in to ECAC if an opening occurs there.

 

[bronconick]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

RIT's non-scholarship, and is already a mini powerhouse within the conference they're in. There's no compelling reason for them to bolt.

That's what I thought. They had to come in after the grandfather clause, so all leaving Atlantic Hockey is going to do is put them at a bigger disadvantage.

 

[aallenpollreisz]

My wild-a55 guess is that RIT is staying mum until 1) ND announces 2) if it is HEA, then until a 12th team is selected. If it is not RIT, then they could look elsewhere.

Note: You have Bobby Mo listed twice. So that is just five in the conference. RIT would make a nice #6. Army/AFA would work, so would Ferris state ... or UB.

Subtract a Bob Morris, add a UB.

RMU, Mercy, BGSU, UB, Niagara, and RIT was what I was shooting for. Would make for a nice little conference with two decently condensed pods.

In all honesty, I probably should have gone to bed a while ago.

 

[TigerFan86-87]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

I'm a bit curious: Why would RIT not consider a jump to another conference? A "CCHA" with BGSU, RMU, Niagara, Canisius, Bob Morris and Mercy would probably be pretty winnable for you guys.

Couple that with the maximum number of scholarships, pretty solid reciting territory, and a new rink, and I think RIT could grow to a mini powerhouse within that hypothetical conference.

That hypothetical conference is basically the AHA-West replacing AFA with UB (and adding BGSU, of course). Of course RIT could win it, but in time it would become more and more difficult with the other AHA teams further increasing their scholarship advantage over the Tigers. They're already the best regular season team in AHA (nod to AFA's four tournament championships to RIT's one). Why not stay after all the other West programs get out of their way? Talk about a powerhouse. I'm sure there would be solid chances for upsets in the tournament, but RIT would clearly be the hands-down favorite to win that league just about every year.

 

[5hole]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

That hypothetical conference is basically the AHA-West replacing AFA with UB (and adding BGSU, of course). Of course RIT could win it, but in time it would become more and more difficult with the other AHA teams further increasing their scholarship advantage over the Tigers. They're already the best regular season team in AHA (nod to AFA's four tournament championships to RIT's one). Why not stay after all the other West programs get out of their way? Talk about a powerhouse. I'm sure there would be solid chances for upsets in the tournament, but RIT would clearly be the hands-down favorite to win that league just about every year.

Ya'know, I'll bet you really liked that Seinfeld episode where Kramer was taking karate ... where all the other students in the class were about 12 years old.

 

[komey1]

Re: Buffalo Bulls varsity men's ice hockey?

What would RIT gain from that conference? It's not like they are going to be playing better teams in conference. I think it would be difficult for multiple teams from this confernece to get NCAA bids. RIT can't offer scholarships. I don't see any incenting.